The Sermon The Battle for your Thoughts by David McGee
Oct 31, 2010
The Battle for your Thoughts (31:11)
Referenced Scriptures: Philippians 4:4-9
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Philippians 4:4-9
4) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
5) Let your mildness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6) In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
7) The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
8) Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.
9) The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
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I told the Philippians, chapter four, beginning at verse four through nine and Bob, you think I've been speaking on this verse, a lot you're right it is one of my favorites, but it is also one that is very challenging given the context that the greatest battle that goes on his forearm. I what you think where what types of plots occupy your mind your actions will follow your thoughts. The direction of your life will follow your thoughts if you don't change your thoughts, you will never change a direction of your life. If you're down in the dumps and you continue to harbor are they gone those things in you create a deep River of doubt and anxiety. You're not sorry you're waiting for something good to come in your life change is not often happen. The idea is that you got the change of thought and change your. You have got a be a happy person. Before you find happiness a lot that again you got a be a happy person. Before you find happiness. You got a be a loving person before you find love and the ideas that we love Jesus Christ. He is loving. He loves us. We find we we decide to allow that love of God to affect our hearts and influence are and we find the love of God, the love of God works in our lives. So let is chapter four verses four through nine rejoice in the Lord always know where is Paul writing this from Israel from a Roman prison gang never a few weeks ago we spoke about apples of gold in settings of silver, and that we use this verse to emphasize that the apples of gold is the promises of God, and how they changed business surroundings. The setting of silver. I R N, and the apples of gold in settings of silver are words wisely oh, and that was that proverb, and that was another sermon, I let this chapter four verse four. Rejoice in Lord always. And where was is written from where the red front around and present. I got back. Rejoice in the Lord always. Why was it written from around the present and I will say it again. Well with his rented from and what is most to do it around in prison. So rejoice in Lord always. I will say it again rejoice, and let your gentleness you think it would be gentle in prison. Let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near. Do not be anxious think you'd be anxious in prison. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving to be in all, we are praying are we thankful for the need that we are not prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And in the peace of God, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think on such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seeing in the put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you to the challenges that than the title of my message today is start from where you are with whatever you've got start somewhere where you are with whatever you've got most of my guys with a network life is going to be different whenever we get somewhere our life is going to be better frost when we get somewhere. Will the ideas we have to start where we are with what we've got. If you don't start with we all start where you are worried. Aside from and if you don't start with what you've already got worried what he got away for an end to challenges as Paul is saying here, rejoicing in God is challenging us by the spirits empowering to rejoice in the Lord. When things are not as you think they should be and when things do you know any talking about being joyous and he's talking about not being anxious any talking about praying and whenever were praying, where we have an attitude of being great for thankful whenever we are praying. We are thanking God for whatever we are praying for, and we are praying and we're thanking God for his presence is Mike Duncan case you're wondering was so there was there was all these things going on that we are that we counsel. If we are to begin, we have to we are what we got on Ryan would you like to come up here. Thank you I got a challenge for you is very difficult. One that he has been placed me in a day writing. Okay, I say free I want you to decide which I'll you want to go down and go down in writing the files right here or there ones that was three one two three four hours to choose from again for that the new features in writing on for up to be ready on three on prayer. I think this is why don't have to run me this walked into the big non- are you going to discern and walked to the desert is very loose. The earliest thing. Okay, I have to now. I figure my gobble you. I know that whenever whenever I say for a allocated to this turnaround commonly known as no pressure and is not that anybody looking at you like this and that I wanted calmly, just turned and walked on the Reading one two three, after good one. It is thank you and him and his you did a nowadays you know, the New Zealand Mary K with the ideas. Y N N this is okay, this is not for you to stop. Why did Ryan choose that I'll add that direction. That's the one to go there. Why did he go here there out there. What is there about that decision. It is so important as it was always it all ends up in the same place. No doesn't it ends up at a different location and in our lives. Every one of us will make choices every one of us are in a position to make a choice. And when you have a responsibility to our relationship with Jesus Christ to choose a direction in our life that is according to the Scripture and the Scripture wasn't saying rejoicing in the Lord. So what I'll walk path of my life is there that I'm choosing is one that I am rejoicing in God with being thankful to God for and that I am taking starting off with who I am where I am with what I've got, and I'm taking the path, but every path will have a different outcome. Every path will take me someplace different. Everything in our life. Every decision that has the choice takes us somewhere and choosing the path is a very important aspect and we would see if I could bring a number brought everyone up here would we all take the same path as Ryan did overtake a different one, because Ryan took that one. How would we know what happened to Solent Paul is talking to us here in Philippians is talking to us about rejoicing in the Lord, and so as we change the path we must chose a path that we are looking to God, and that as we are choosing the path the apples of gold in the setting of silver is that on last half. I'm going to remember the promises of God, and how that those promises speak life to me. Lois Walker had of subrogation with Apple golden apples and from that sermon I don't think their real gold and really, I'll mention I live after for one. But anyhow she asked that she had that honor did honored table to remind her of that of that sermon, he rejoicing is sometime now. Whatever we think about this idea of rejoicing in the Lord rejoicing in God is not to be confused with happiness. Happiness is it involves from yell at Skyview whenever weaving of happiness. We envision unwrapping prison so are strolling down the road hand-in-hand with someone more I like that in the bucket list. The guy was to get the most beautiful girl in the world, and it was his granddaughter being surprised on your birthday used). Now that I was a surprise law. It is not up and they gave me cards and money and stuff below regarding sixteen and so firmly one everyone wants to be happy. Sometimes we make happiness, something will make laughing as a lifelong ambition of pursuit. They spend money for collecting things searching for new experiences. But what happens. What happens when a happiness depends upon circumstances and the toys Rus and the loved ones move away in the health deteriorates and the money inflation in all that other stuff than happiness leaves the despair comes in Lacey. This was the idea of when things change. Paul says I been knocked down, but I'm not knocked out I I been I been beaten, but I'm not I'm not off course estate is able to recognize that in his despair in the despair doesn't have a hold of him. It all naturally look at the attitude nor our actions, our attitude will follow are our thoughts and are just direction will follow our I thought the behalf itself. We think the right way and we are allowing him as we study this in Sunday school this morning about the Holy Spirit aspect in the last couple weeks we spoke about the Holy Spirit in creation, the Genesis effect where the Spirit of God Burress moves over the water and brings into existence, and then one of what about the Holy Spirit in the incarnation of Jesus Christ 's birth and one of the translators has it that that whenever whenever the spirit came upon Mary, it was the genesis of that the reading of the creation of life, and that an end that whenever that creation of the spirit was there with with Marianne and inhibited gene in and in inhabited Jesus and that, and in his life. We have the Spirit 's work in his life minute panic. We have the spirit come into the church and the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwell in you, he shall quicken your mortal body. If the same Holy Spirit that was there in creation before the beginning began that spirit that was there that moved upon the face of the waters upon the face of the deep that brought this world into existence in the world into existence brave and the man the breath of life and made mankind a living soul. That same spirit, bringing Sindelar spirit. That same Holy Spirit prays into our spirit and the brain, the word of God into us, so that whenever we are saying, rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. And that we are to be thankful and that we are to bring our prayers and our art with thanksgiving to God. What are we doing that same breath is breathing into laws. The breath of life and the breath of promise, and we are then living that we are living God, and it is the spirit, the Holy Spirit, it makes all that happens this letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians is a joyful letter the church had been a great encouragement to Paul in Philippians is a joyful book because it emphasizes the real joy of the Christian life. The concept of rejoicing or July appears sixteen times in four chapters sixteen times. Paul is writing about. Read I was all I is in a Roman prison is change your diet at his change your garden around the president is saying, rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice you bring everything with transportation, be not anxious about anything, but be anxious while everybody here is my favorite change for me. I think utterly different for me. Now shall we notably build upon these anxiety involved in the present day be not anxious, but everything prior to covering it with prior petitions with Thanksgiving using the breath of the spirit of God brings to the insurance and everything is okay, that God is in control even though I don't know how he's going to work this out. God is in control. So with Thanksgiving. I'm grateful to God for what he has done for me in Paul's life of serving Christ to face crushing poverty and hate it on a face to face the LP was beaten with rods in our training. He was shipwrecked, metadata, like floating in the date I was driving out of the city for Dan after they stolen any talking about rejoicing in God, apples of gold in settings of silver promises of God, the breath of life that the spirit breathed into his soul ravens was life, and he was able to speak down to experience it. The Bible says that our spirit that his Spirit bears witness with our spirit that the same spirit that was very creation, the same spirit was there with with Christ. The same spirit was there on the day of Pentecost is the same spirit of reason why the breath of life, and gives us hope in the midst of trials gives us direction. Whenever we think that we don't feel like we have a direction we don't know which path to take, which I also like they always want to my friend about which one brings the joy of God to my life. Which one is saying that I'm saying safe and God, not necessarily safe and circumspect. He wrote this joyful letter of Paul. Paul had learned to be content chapter four verses eleven and twelve what to say. Paul says I'm not saying this because I am in need of a talk about your policies& and I need something from you people find learned to be content whatever the circumstance will I learn to be content in prison. I've learned to be content being change a Roman soldier. I've learned to be content that somebody else is in control of my life where I live, or whether I die, for I have learned to be in one content whatever the circumstance. I know I know what it is to be indeed and I know what it is to have plenty. I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in one. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Paul says I am. I have learned. I know I know I have learned I can do those words that speak affirmation. Those are words that speak affirmation to our live there words that we life. They give us that they give to us, and that keep us out of back canyon of the spare that gave us keep our hearts for to receive him not into wildlife and the plus and a place where love can touch our lives and helping and healing can be there for us. It is it something were going to be so far gloom, despair and agony on me that had been the only law they know that the some of you don't remember that. Okay, so, so we may move out of those things we move out of that because because of the threat of God that speaks to our hearts speak Russell Paul climbing real joy as a focus of all, all of his attention chapter three verse eight live there for a moment chapter three verse eight, but they say what is more what is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider the rotting rubbish that I may have gain Christ. He found a relationship with Jesus Christ. It changed everything. If you forgive character study on the apostle Paul. We know that he was solid farces. He was ill. He was astute enough to mail you. I mean, he went in there that the greatest is aware if there were the most elite school in Israel on the time Paul was there and he not only went to the most elite school he was the most elite student on that school and he was the best of the best. It was a Pharisee of the Pharisee. He was a genius of genius. It was your and and and him. Society was everything and he said, I found that all is not being compared to my knowledge of Jesus Christ. He chose a path that brought him to a place where he met Jesus or Jesus met him and changed his life forever. Now that changes and added transformation chapter three verses twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Not that I have already obtained all this or have been made perfect by press on to make the half to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me, I press on. I have found the path I have found the trail I have found the direction and I as I am on this direction. I am taking hold of this and I am following this, just as I have has Christ uphold me. I realize there is a purpose. There is a will for my life brothers. He says in verse thirteen, I do not consider myself to take a hold of it, but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind what the Paul have to forget the entities though he stood by and watched Stephen B style Paul was the instigator of the early church of the trauma that went on a nearly church families were separated Christians were imprisoned and he was. He was an instigator of all of that, he said I have to forget that I have to let go of those things and I strained forward eyestrain toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize. There is a prize ahead of me. My life issue. We have to begin where we are at. We have to we are actively begin with what we have and whenever him return whatever we make the time to go direction. We've got to remember I have to forget what is behind me. I have to realize that my students are gone. My the things I've done wrong in my life. God must forgive me, he will forgive me if I asked him, and I must choose a path I must choose a path and the path I choose as a destiny that share the path I choose has a prize and whenever we serve Jesus Christ. The prize is eternal life. The prize is an endless life with Christ and the prizes heaven and that becomes my goal, my ball is to reach heaven. But until that day, I press on. I forget what is behind the mistakes the failures why all those things I have to let them go. I don't pretend they don't exist. I don't pretend they don't exist. Paul never forgot the stoning of Stephen King never forgot it, but he never allowed it to interrupt where he was going and he waiting me anyway. He referred to it at the end of his life at the end of his letters, he still remember Stephen and the impact that that was upon him, but he knew that he was that at that point in his life. He knew that he didn't. He was with a man without Christ. But when Christ came into his life. He changed him, I press on toward the goal. The prize for which God has called a heavenward when I was writing this there talking about George Beverly Shea heard was on the TV and every Billy Graham Crusade he saying I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I'd rather be here is that have riches untold. I'd rather have Jesus in Houston all I I rather be led by his nail pierced hands. I'd rather have Jesus in men's applause. I'd rather be faithful to his dear cause I'd rather have Jesus then worldwide fame. I'd rather be true to his holy name than to be the king of a vast domain or be held and sends dread sway. I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today the path that we walk the path that we have taken we start where we are with what we've got. We start with the end in mind, knowing that there is a destiny and there is a purpose and I thought of this column. Maybe some of you know what the Road not taken by Robert Frost. Not a great poet, but I I like this one because it talks about the same thing the road not taken to roads diverged in a yellow woods and sorry I could not travel both and one and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth then took the other, just as far and having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear, though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same, and both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black. All I kept the first for another day yet knowing how way leads the way, I doubt if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere in ages and ages hence two roads diverged in the woods and I I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. The Road not taken concerns a choice made between two rows by a person walking in the woods. They would like to explore both roads exultant self-pity will explore one and then come back and explore the other, but he knows he will probably be unable to do so and just as we were appear with Ryan and were talking and safe by it all. It really doesn't matter. I'm looking at on this one. If that doesn't work, I dramatically try this one, and we often think in our life that we have the ability to choose, we can make a choice and we can go somewhere one day at all right now, but I can try that on the road. Another day, but you know what we never can. We can never retrace and we never can get back to that same spot because we can go back in time, we have to make the choice and every choice we may hazard as an outcome will make a difference. God is the one whose breath speaks to our hearts to inspire us what choice should I make my choice. Should I made which way does the breath of God lead me when someone tells me that God is with me. God will help me God will be my guy, God will give me strength. God will help me God 's love will brief strength into my life. God 's purpose will be there with me as I take my next step, and as I walk I walk with God, and I know that God is with me. This is the road that is less traveled. This is the road that God has called us to go through to follow areas around that he has gone before God will not take us where he has not already been God will lead us in the path of righteousness for his namesake, God will be our friend who sticks closer than a brother. I will choose the path upon which my Savior walks. He will walk with me and he will talk with me and he will tell me that I am is all in the joy we share as we walk that path. There none others ever know that is the road less traveled. God has called us to walk that path is not a path of loneliness. It is not a path that others do not fall Paul walked that path Isaiah the prophet David David McCain, the disciples all who follow Jesus walked that path where not alone were not abandoned. We are accompanied by a great crowd witnesses cheering us on. From eternity past from from from Adam on down through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the prophets of all and the NME and the disciples and the followers of Christ. There are all surrounding us, encouraging us to walk the path because we can finish the course that God has called us to walk and he walks with me, and he talks to me in spirit. Paris 's life to me in the lively breeze into me as his words rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens I am never alone. He will never leave me nor forsake me. He calls me to walk the path of righteousness for his namesake thought about us. It's about you, Lord, it's all aboutI told the Philippians, chapter four, beginning at verse four through nine and Bob, you think I've been speaking on this verse, a lot you're right it is one of my favorites, but it is also one that is very challenging given the context that the greatest battle that goes on his forearm. I what you think where what types of plots occupy your mind your actions will follow your thoughts. The direction of your life will follow your thoughts if you don't change your thoughts, you will never change a direction of your life. If you're down in the dumps and you continue to harbor are they gone those things in you create a deep River of doubt and anxiety. You're not sorry you're waiting for something good to come in your life change is not often happen. The idea is that you got the change of thought and change your. You have got a be a happy person. Before you find happiness a lot that again you got a be a happy person. Before you find happiness. You got a be a loving person before you find love and the ideas that we love Jesus Christ. He is loving. He loves us. We find we we decide to allow that love of God to affect our hearts and influence are and we find the love of God, the love of God works in our lives. So let is chapter four verses four through nine rejoice in the Lord always know where is Paul writing this from Israel from a Roman prison gang never a few weeks ago we spoke about apples of gold in settings of silver, and that we use this verse to emphasize that the apples of gold is the promises of God, and how they changed business surroundings. The setting of silver. I R N, and the apples of gold in settings of silver are words wisely oh, and that was that proverb, and that was another sermon, I let this chapter four verse four. Rejoice in Lord always. And where was is written from where the red front around and present. I got back. Rejoice in the Lord always. Why was it written from around the present and I will say it again. Well with his rented from and what is most to do it around in prison. So rejoice in Lord always. I will say it again rejoice, and let your gentleness you think it would be gentle in prison. Let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near. Do not be anxious think you'd be anxious in prison. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving to be in all, we are praying are we thankful for the need that we are not prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And in the peace of God, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think on such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seeing in the put it into practice and the God of peace will be with you to the challenges that than the title of my message today is start from where you are with whatever you've got start somewhere where you are with whatever you've got most of my guys with a network life is going to be different whenever we get somewhere our life is going to be better frost when we get somewhere. Will the ideas we have to start where we are with what we've got. If you don't start with we all start where you are worried. Aside from and if you don't start with what you've already got worried what he got away for an end to challenges as Paul is saying here, rejoicing in God is challenging us by the spirits empowering to rejoice in the Lord. When things are not as you think they should be and when things do you know any talking about being joyous and he's talking about not being anxious any talking about praying and whenever were praying, where we have an attitude of being great for thankful whenever we are praying. We are thanking God for whatever we are praying for, and we are praying and we're thanking God for his presence is Mike Duncan case you're wondering was so there was there was all these things going on that we are that we counsel. If we are to begin, we have to we are what we got on Ryan would you like to come up here. Thank you I got a challenge for you is very difficult. One that he has been placed me in a day writing. Okay, I say free I want you to decide which I'll you want to go down and go down in writing the files right here or there ones that was three one two three four hours to choose from again for that the new features in writing on for up to be ready on three on prayer. I think this is why don't have to run me this walked into the big non- are you going to discern and walked to the desert is very loose. The earliest thing. Okay, I have to now. I figure my gobble you. I know that whenever whenever I say for a allocated to this turnaround commonly known as no pressure and is not that anybody looking at you like this and that I wanted calmly, just turned and walked on the Reading one two three, after good one. It is thank you and him and his you did a nowadays you know, the New Zealand Mary K with the ideas. Y N N this is okay, this is not for you to stop. Why did Ryan choose that I'll add that direction. That's the one to go there. Why did he go here there out there. What is there about that decision. It is so important as it was always it all ends up in the same place. No doesn't it ends up at a different location and in our lives. Every one of us will make choices every one of us are in a position to make a choice. And when you have a responsibility to our relationship with Jesus Christ to choose a direction in our life that is according to the Scripture and the Scripture wasn't saying rejoicing in the Lord. So what I'll walk path of my life is there that I'm choosing is one that I am rejoicing in God with being thankful to God for and that I am taking starting off with who I am where I am with what I've got, and I'm taking the path, but every path will have a different outcome. Every path will take me someplace different. Everything in our life. Every decision that has the choice takes us somewhere and choosing the path is a very important aspect and we would see if I could bring a number brought everyone up here would we all take the same path as Ryan did overtake a different one, because Ryan took that one. How would we know what happened to Solent Paul is talking to us here in Philippians is talking to us about rejoicing in the Lord, and so as we change the path we must chose a path that we are looking to God, and that as we are choosing the path the apples of gold in the setting of silver is that on last half. I'm going to remember the promises of God, and how that those promises speak life to me. Lois Walker had of subrogation with Apple golden apples and from that sermon I don't think their real gold and really, I'll mention I live after for one. But anyhow she asked that she had that honor did honored table to remind her of that of that sermon, he rejoicing is sometime now. Whatever we think about this idea of rejoicing in the Lord rejoicing in God is not to be confused with happiness. Happiness is it involves from yell at Skyview whenever weaving of happiness. We envision unwrapping prison so are strolling down the road hand-in-hand with someone more I like that in the bucket list. The guy was to get the most beautiful girl in the world, and it was his granddaughter being surprised on your birthday used). Now that I was a surprise law. It is not up and they gave me cards and money and stuff below regarding sixteen and so firmly one everyone wants to be happy. Sometimes we make happiness, something will make laughing as a lifelong ambition of pursuit. They spend money for collecting things searching for new experiences. But what happens. What happens when a happiness depends upon circumstances and the toys Rus and the loved ones move away in the health deteriorates and the money inflation in all that other stuff than happiness leaves the despair comes in Lacey. This was the idea of when things change. Paul says I been knocked down, but I'm not knocked out I I been I been beaten, but I'm not I'm not off course estate is able to recognize that in his despair in the despair doesn't have a hold of him. It all naturally look at the attitude nor our actions, our attitude will follow are our thoughts and are just direction will follow our I thought the behalf itself. We think the right way and we are allowing him as we study this in Sunday school this morning about the Holy Spirit aspect in the last couple weeks we spoke about the Holy Spirit in creation, the Genesis effect where the Spirit of God Burress moves over the water and brings into existence, and then one of what about the Holy Spirit in the incarnation of Jesus Christ 's birth and one of the translators has it that that whenever whenever the spirit came upon Mary, it was the genesis of that the reading of the creation of life, and that an end that whenever that creation of the spirit was there with with Marianne and inhibited gene in and in inhabited Jesus and that, and in his life. We have the Spirit 's work in his life minute panic. We have the spirit come into the church and the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwell in you, he shall quicken your mortal body. If the same Holy Spirit that was there in creation before the beginning began that spirit that was there that moved upon the face of the waters upon the face of the deep that brought this world into existence in the world into existence brave and the man the breath of life and made mankind a living soul. That same spirit, bringing Sindelar spirit. That same Holy Spirit prays into our spirit and the brain, the word of God into us, so that whenever we are saying, rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. And that we are to be thankful and that we are to bring our prayers and our art with thanksgiving to God. What are we doing that same breath is breathing into laws. The breath of life and the breath of promise, and we are then living that we are living God, and it is the spirit, the Holy Spirit, it makes all that happens this letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians is a joyful letter the church had been a great encouragement to Paul in Philippians is a joyful book because it emphasizes the real joy of the Christian life. The concept of rejoicing or July appears sixteen times in four chapters sixteen times. Paul is writing about. Read I was all I is in a Roman prison is change your diet at his change your garden around the president is saying, rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice you bring everything with transportation, be not anxious about anything, but be anxious while everybody here is my favorite change for me. I think utterly different for me. Now shall we notably build upon these anxiety involved in the present day be not anxious, but everything prior to covering it with prior petitions with Thanksgiving using the breath of the spirit of God brings to the insurance and everything is okay, that God is in control even though I don't know how he's going to work this out. God is in control. So with Thanksgiving. I'm grateful to God for what he has done for me in Paul's life of serving Christ to face crushing poverty and hate it on a face to face the LP was beaten with rods in our training. He was shipwrecked, metadata, like floating in the date I was driving out of the city for Dan after they stolen any talking about rejoicing in God, apples of gold in settings of silver promises of God, the breath of life that the spirit breathed into his soul ravens was life, and he was able to speak down to experience it. The Bible says that our spirit that his Spirit bears witness with our spirit that the same spirit that was very creation, the same spirit was there with with Christ. The same spirit was there on the day of Pentecost is the same spirit of reason why the breath of life, and gives us hope in the midst of trials gives us direction. Whenever we think that we don't feel like we have a direction we don't know which path to take, which I also like they always want to my friend about which one brings the joy of God to my life. Which one is saying that I'm saying safe and God, not necessarily safe and circumspect. He wrote this joyful letter of Paul. Paul had learned to be content chapter four verses eleven and twelve what to say. Paul says I'm not saying this because I am in need of a talk about your policies& and I need something from you people find learned to be content whatever the circumstance will I learn to be content in prison. I've learned to be content being change a Roman soldier. I've learned to be content that somebody else is in control of my life where I live, or whether I die, for I have learned to be in one content whatever the circumstance. I know I know what it is to be indeed and I know what it is to have plenty. I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in one. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Paul says I am. I have learned. I know I know I have learned I can do those words that speak affirmation. Those are words that speak affirmation to our live there words that we life. They give us that they give to us, and that keep us out of back canyon of the spare that gave us keep our hearts for to receive him not into wildlife and the plus and a place where love can touch our lives and helping and healing can be there for us. It is it something were going to be so far gloom, despair and agony on me that had been the only law they know that the some of you don't remember that. Okay, so, so we may move out of those things we move out of that because because of the threat of God that speaks to our hearts speak Russell Paul climbing real joy as a focus of all, all of his attention chapter three verse eight live there for a moment chapter three verse eight, but they say what is more what is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider the rotting rubbish that I may have gain Christ. He found a relationship with Jesus Christ. It changed everything. If you forgive character study on the apostle Paul. We know that he was solid farces. He was ill. He was astute enough to mail you. I mean, he went in there that the greatest is aware if there were the most elite school in Israel on the time Paul was there and he not only went to the most elite school he was the most elite student on that school and he was the best of the best. It was a Pharisee of the Pharisee. He was a genius of genius. It was your and and and him. Society was everything and he said, I found that all is not being compared to my knowledge of Jesus Christ. He chose a path that brought him to a place where he met Jesus or Jesus met him and changed his life forever. Now that changes and added transformation chapter three verses twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Not that I have already obtained all this or have been made perfect by press on to make the half to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me, I press on. I have found the path I have found the trail I have found the direction and I as I am on this direction. I am taking hold of this and I am following this, just as I have has Christ uphold me. I realize there is a purpose. There is a will for my life brothers. He says in verse thirteen, I do not consider myself to take a hold of it, but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind what the Paul have to forget the entities though he stood by and watched Stephen B style Paul was the instigator of the early church of the trauma that went on a nearly church families were separated Christians were imprisoned and he was. He was an instigator of all of that, he said I have to forget that I have to let go of those things and I strained forward eyestrain toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize. There is a prize ahead of me. My life issue. We have to begin where we are at. We have to we are actively begin with what we have and whenever him return whatever we make the time to go direction. We've got to remember I have to forget what is behind me. I have to realize that my students are gone. My the things I've done wrong in my life. God must forgive me, he will forgive me if I asked him, and I must choose a path I must choose a path and the path I choose as a destiny that share the path I choose has a prize and whenever we serve Jesus Christ. The prize is eternal life. The prize is an endless life with Christ and the prizes heaven and that becomes my goal, my ball is to reach heaven. But until that day, I press on. I forget what is behind the mistakes the failures why all those things I have to let them go. I don't pretend they don't exist. I don't pretend they don't exist. Paul never forgot the stoning of Stephen King never forgot it, but he never allowed it to interrupt where he was going and he waiting me anyway. He referred to it at the end of his life at the end of his letters, he still remember Stephen and the impact that that was upon him, but he knew that he was that at that point in his life. He knew that he didn't. He was with a man without Christ. But when Christ came into his life. He changed him, I press on toward the goal. The prize for which God has called a heavenward when I was writing this there talking about George Beverly Shea heard was on the TV and every Billy Graham Crusade he saying I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I'd rather be here is that have riches untold. I'd rather have Jesus in Houston all I I rather be led by his nail pierced hands. I'd rather have Jesus in men's applause. I'd rather be faithful to his dear cause I'd rather have Jesus then worldwide fame. I'd rather be true to his holy name than to be the king of a vast domain or be held and sends dread sway. I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today the path that we walk the path that we have taken we start where we are with what we've got. We start with the end in mind, knowing that there is a destiny and there is a purpose and I thought of this column. Maybe some of you know what the Road not taken by Robert Frost. Not a great poet, but I I like this one because it talks about the same thing the road not taken to roads diverged in a yellow woods and sorry I could not travel both and one and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth then took the other, just as far and having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear, though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same, and both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black. All I kept the first for another day yet knowing how way leads the way, I doubt if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere in ages and ages hence two roads diverged in the woods and I I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. The Road not taken concerns a choice made between two rows by a person walking in the woods. They would like to explore both roads exultant self-pity will explore one and then come back and explore the other, but he knows he will probably be unable to do so and just as we were appear with Ryan and were talking and safe by it all. It really doesn't matter. I'm looking at on this one. If that doesn't work, I dramatically try this one, and we often think in our life that we have the ability to choose, we can make a choice and we can go somewhere one day at all right now, but I can try that on the road. Another day, but you know what we never can. We can never retrace and we never can get back to that same spot because we can go back in time, we have to make the choice and every choice we may hazard as an outcome will make a difference. God is the one whose breath speaks to our hearts to inspire us what choice should I make my choice. Should I made which way does the breath of God lead me when someone tells me that God is with me. God will help me God will be my guy, God will give me strength. God will help me God 's love will brief strength into my life. God 's purpose will be there with me as I take my next step, and as I walk I walk with God, and I know that God is with me. This is the road that is less traveled. This is the road that God has called us to go through to follow areas around that he has gone before God will not take us where he has not already been God will lead us in the path of righteousness for his namesake, God will be our friend who sticks closer than a brother. I will choose the path upon which my Savior walks. He will walk with me and he will talk with me and he will tell me that I am is all in the joy we share as we walk that path. There none others ever know that is the road less traveled. God has called us to walk that path is not a path of loneliness. It is not a path that others do not fall Paul walked that path Isaiah the prophet David David McCain, the disciples all who follow Jesus walked that path where not alone were not abandoned. We are accompanied by a great crowd witnesses cheering us on. From eternity past from from from Adam on down through Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the prophets of all and the NME and the disciples and the followers of Christ. There are all surrounding us, encouraging us to walk the path because we can finish the course that God has called us to walk and he walks with me, and he talks to me in spirit. Paris 's life to me in the lively breeze into me as his words rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens I am never alone. He will never leave me nor forsake me. He calls me to walk the path of righteousness for his namesake thought about us. It's about you, Lord, it's all about